Other nonprofits sending money to Kansas progressive organizations in 2024 for election-related activities
“Other” nonprofit sources gave 13 grants that totaled $4.2 million to 11 Kansas nonprofits
This is the last of five articles about mostly out-of-state nonprofits giving grants to Kansas progressive groups, usually for election-related activities. See list of five articles.
Earlier articles focused on:
Arabella-managed funds gave 20 grants totaling $1.8 million to 15 Kansas nonprofits
Two Tides nonprofits gave 8 grants totaling $1 million to Kansas nonprofits
Health foundations spent nearly $900K in 2024 on 17 grants related to their past IVE project
This article looks at large grants from four specific out-of-state nonprofits to progressive Kansas organizations.
Out-of-State Nonprofits
Four progressive out-of-state nonprofits giving to Kansas nonprofits included:
Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation
Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors
Silicon Valley Community Foundation
US Energy Foundation
Grants from two “other” nonprofits were included in the analysis of Middle of the Road / Kansas Values Institute and will not be discussed here:
$150K from NEA Advocacy to Kansas Values Institute
$185K from Local Jobs & Economic Development Fund to Kansans for Affordable Future
$85K from Local Jobs & Economic Development Fund to Amberwave PAC
Combined these “other” nonprofit sources gave 13 grants that totaled $4.2 million to 11 Kansas progressive organizations in 2024.
Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation
Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation’s core mission is family planning, contraception, and abortion access. It has distributed billions in grants—estimated at over $4 to $8 billion total since the early 2000s, with a large share to abortion causes.
All grants from the Susan Thompson Buffet Foundation in 2024 can be seen in its 990 filing:
The Susan Thompson Buffer Foundation gave grants to three Kansas organizations in 2024:
$101K to ACLU Kansas, which works on voting rights protection and advocacy, as well as using lawfare to advance progressive causes and concerns through lawsuits.
$2.55 million to Planned Parenthood Great Plains. PPGP is the 501(c)(3) nonprofit providing abortions across Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma. Planned Parenthood Great Plains Votes (PPGPV) is the affiliated 501(c)(4) political/advocacy arm. PPGP/PPGPV’s Kansas involvement is heavily focused on ballot defense of abortion, candidate endorsements/PAC support for pro-abortion office seekers, direct legislative testimony/lobbying, and voter tools/mobilization.
$102K to Trust Women Foundation, which is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit focused on abortions and “gender care,” which can result in terrible body mutilation.
The stated purpose for all grants was given as “General Operating Support” or “Program Support.”
United States Energy Foundation
U.S. Energy Foundation is public charity headquartered in San Francisco, which was founded in 1991. Its focus is on “securing a clean and equitable energy future to tackle the climate crisis” through grants for education, analysis, and public engagement on clean energy policies, renewable energy, energy efficiency, and related economic/equity issues.
All grants from the US Energy Foundation in 2024 can be seen in its 990 filing:
Grants to Kansas in 2024 include:
$175K to Climate + Energy Project, Hutchinson. CEP promotes voter engagement aimed at increasing turnout among Kansans concerned about climate and energy issues. CEP was part of the Kansas Health Foundation’s Integrated Voter Engagement project and participates with The Voter Network’s Kansas Climate CORE Voter-to-Voter Team.
$25K to Kansas Latino Community Network, Mission. KLCN’s role in Kansas politics is primarily nonpartisan civic empowerment and advocacy. It emphasizes voter registration, education, and turnout.
$25K to Kansas Interfaith Action, Lawrence. KIFA positions its work as faith-based and nonpartisan. Influence Watch characterizes it as left-of-center. In recent 2023 and 2024 elections KIFA hired part-time “mobilizers” and team captains to to contact at least 50 people in their personal networks—often infrequent voters—about upcoming elections, help with registration/absentee ballots, and encourage participation. KIFA received a total of $75K from nonprofit sources in 2024.
$230K to Kansas Common Sense Fund, Topeka. KCSF is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit educational arm of the 501(c)(4) advocacy organization, Kansas Coalition for Common Sense. KCSF focuses on developing research-based messaging to empower Kansans, advocates, nonprofit groups, community leaders, and policymakers in promoting “common sense Kansas values,” which most in Kansas label as “progressive.”
$40K to Kansans for Affordable Future, Topeka. Kansans for an Affordable Future is most active in local elections and issues tied to energy policy, utility rates, and county commissions—especially in areas like Douglas, Sedgwick, and Wyandotte counties.
The Climate + Energy Project embraced Kansas Health Foundation’s “Integrated Voter Engagement Project” starting in 2017 and received significant funding from 2017 to 2024.
Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors
Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors (RPA) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2002 that serves as a global philanthropic advisory, management, and fiscal sponsorship organization. RPA’s role in US politics and elections is limited to facilitating and advising on donor-supported philanthropy aimed at strengthening democracy, civic participation, and related systems. This includes nonpartisan or progressive-leaning efforts on voting access, election integrity/protection, reducing polarization, and long-term civic infrastructure.
All grants nationwide from the Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors in 2024 can be seen in its 990 filing:
The Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors made a $350,000 grant to ACLU Kansas in 2024.
ACLU Kansas received $561K from known nonprofits in 2024.
Silicon Valley Community Foundation
Silicon Valley Community Foundation’s role in politics and elections is limited to charitable grantmaking and program administration, often donor-directed. SVCF funds “movement- and power-building” initiatives, community action grants, and organizations focused on voter engagement, policy advocacy, holding elected officials accountable, and increasing participation in underrepresented groups. The controversial $328 million in “Zuckerbucks” from Mark Zuckerberg to Center for Tech and Civic Life impacting the 2020 election was through SVCF.
All grants from the Silicon Valley Community Foundation in 2024 can be seen in its 990 filing:
The Silicon Valley Community Foundation gave a grant of $103,350 to Loud Light in Topeka.
From all nonprofit sources in 2024 Loud Light received nearly $452K in funding. Its 501(c)(4) Loud Light Civic Action received $50K.
Loud Light’s primary involvement in politics and elections centers on expanding voter access, increasing turnout (particularly among young and marginalized voters), monitoring legislation, and challenging laws it views as barriers to voting.
Related
$2.8 million was for “abortion services” in Wichita
Climate + Energy Project and Kansas Interfaith Action received several grants for Kansas Health Foundation’s “Integrated Voter Engagement” project.
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